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Why not a full grit progression for the Sharpmaker?

AFAustin

AFAustin

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2004
Messages
2,496
This question may have an obvious answer, but if so I don't know what it is. Given the immense popularity of the Sharpmaker (and I love mine), and the oft repeated criticism that it is good for touch-ups but not for any major sharpening---why hasn't either Spyderco or some other company made a full set of stones for it?

I'm aware of the diamond and CBN stones, but isn't there a pretty big gap between them and the brown stones, which the Grand Unified Grit Chart specs at about 15 microns? http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/856708-The-Grand-Unified-Grit-Chart/page4

So maybe what I'm asking is, why not at least 2 or 3 additional stones which would bridge the gap?

Andrew
 
Might be a good question for Sal in the Spyderco sub-forum. I've wondered about it too; a 3-stone diamond range emulating DMT's C/F/EF range, between 45-9µ, would be a big step up in functionality. The grit transition from the EF diamond to the brown rods would be relatively easy.

May come down to cost, and what Spyderco believes customers would be willing to pay for; but I don't know...


David
 
Good idea. I've posed the question to Sal in the Spydie sub-forum. Hope he'll stop by and respond.

Andrew
 
Good question, I have asked myself the same thing often. I too love my spyderco sharpmaker - even today my free hands were not up to snuff, so I used the sharpmakers quality for the final crisp apex. At my level of free hand skills and without stropping, I can duplicate the keen edge off the spyderco sharpmaker way too seldom :grumpy:

I have the diamond rods and the UF rods too. The diamond rods of the sharpmaker compare to DMT coarse in regards to scratch pattern IMO, after a while of using maybe a bit finer. Freehand I have good experience with the steps: DMT coarse, extra fine, Spyderco UF grit, then strop. Therefore I would love to get extra fine diamond rods for the sharpmaker.
 
I have seen mention of other companies that make triangular stones that work with the sharpmaker. I bought a DMT Aligner for my sharpening.
 
I don't know a lot about the physical makeup of the Sharpmaker rods, so take this for what it is worth. It may be that the mfg of such rods may be cost prohibitive due to the slender make up of them. In order to make them the size to fit the holder and be strong and durable enough to withstand breakage while being used by the "masses" without massive failures may be the reason for the limited selection. If this is not a mfg problem, but purely a cost vs profit problem, then it would be an avenue for third parties to step up and test the waters so to speak.

Apparently the retail price is not a major stumbling block, as witnessed by the cost of the other type of fixed angle sharpening systems available. If enough people in this niche or area of interest are willing to pay for something like this, then it could be made available if possible. Good question and conversation!

Omar
 
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